# Using evolutionary variation to probe the neural basis for behavior

> **NIH NIH R35** · ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $591,892

## Abstract

Animals exhibit astonishing diversity in their behavior, yet almost nothing is known about how evolutionary
variation in neural circuits gives rise to species-specific behavioral variation. Here I propose to take advantage
of recent advances in genome editing and develop an innovative approach to reveal how evolution sculpts
brain circuits. Using CRISPR genome editing technology, we are translating neurogenetic tools from D.
melanogaster to other Drosophila species, allowing for the first high-resolution anatomic and functional neural
circuit mapping across species. By directly comparing the homologous sensory processing pathways in closely
related drosophilids, we will precisely pinpoint where adaptive changes have occurred within the nervous
system to produce species-specific mate preferences. The rapid evolution of Drosophila courtship allows us to
systematically probe how parallel changes in behavior have been independently implemented in different
species, shedding light on the types of changes that are permissible and preferable within brain circuits.
Mapping the sites of anatomic and functional change within these pathways will further enable us to study their
underlying molecular basis, using transcriptional profiling of the relevant neural populations to provide a
definitive link between genetic and behavioral variation. Together, the proposed studies will transform our
understanding of the molecular, cellular, and circuit-level changes that generate adaptive behavioral variation
across species. As the etiology of many brain disorders is aberrant neural circuit wiring, a deeper
understanding of the link between genes, neural circuits, and behavior could have profound consequences for
mental health.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10837745
- **Project number:** 5R35NS111611-06
- **Recipient organization:** ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Vanessa Ruta
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $591,892
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-05-01 → 2027-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10837745

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10837745, Using evolutionary variation to probe the neural basis for behavior (5R35NS111611-06). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10837745. Licensed CC0.

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